CHICKEN ALLA CACCIATORE - HUNTER STYLE CHICKEN
(Not too many hunters shoot chickens so I think this dish was originally made with rabbit or maybe some other bird)
We are expecting a frost this weekend and I figured today was a good day to harvest the remaining green peppers. Actually they are Cubanelle peppers, otherwise called Italian Frying Peppers; they are mild, not hot. They were quite prolific this year, given I only had six plants. Everything else - tomatoes, broccoli, eggplant - quit early; beans are long gone; have only peppers and swiss chard now.
I've had my eye on the peppers and planned to put them into a Chicken Cacciatore. It is basically chicken parts with peppers and onions with a light tomato sauce. You want the veggies in big pieces because the long cooking time will pretty much make them virtually dissolve. This is a bit time consuming, but its a nice fall or winter dish.
I used about 12 Italian Frying peppers, cored and cut in quarters, (Bell peppers will hold up better and not "dissolve" into the sauce), 2 onions, a 10 oz package of white mushrooms, sliced in half. (baby bellas would be good too), parsley, basil, garlic, oregano, olive oil, 1 can of whole, peeled tomatoes, 1 cup of tomato sauce, and of course some chicken legs and thighs - six (or eight) of each. (I've been known to add Italian sausage and/or meatballs.)
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Cubanelle or Frying Peppers |
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Mushrooms |
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Purple Basil and Parsley |
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Canned Tomatoes |
Brown the chicken parts in a skillet - in two batches. Season with a little salt and pepper.
While the chicken parts are cooking, in a separate, large sauce pan saute some garlic in olive oil. Add the cut up peppers and one onion, quartered. Allow to saute and sweat, turning frequently.
Remove the chicken from the skillet, pour off excess fat leaving a little for sauteing the mushrooms. Add the halved mushrooms to the skillet along with a diced onion and a cut up carrot (optional). Saute the vegetables until heated through, not over cooked. Add some wine to deglaze the pan. Then add a can of peeled tomatoes. Add chopped parsley and basil, a little oregano, salt and pepper.
Add the tomato/vegetable mixture to the peppers/onions and add the chickenparts along with 1 cup of tomato puree or prepared tomato sauce. Place on low heat and simmer for at least two hours. When thoroughly cooked, the chicken should easily fall off the bone.
You can leave the chicken on the bone or, to be kind, remove all the bones and knuckles and return the chicken meat to the pot.
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Brown the chicken parts |
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Chicken Thighs |
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Add Onions to the Skillet |
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Add the Mushrooms |
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Add a Carrot and Some Wine to Deglaze |
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Add the Tomatoes |
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Cut up the Tomatoes into Large Chunks |
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Add Chopped Parsley and Basil |
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Add a Cup of Tomato Sauce or Puree |
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Allow to Simmer for Hours |
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After it is Cooked |
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Salt and Pepper to Taste |
Serve with crusty Italian bread, or with pasta, rice, or potatoes.
If you are reheating this dish, be prepared for the peppers to disappear. If you use Bell peppers, they will hold up better.
2 comments:
MMMMM, sounds real good Frank, and the pics are great. I wonder - would bell peppers be okay for this dish? We don't have no cuba whatever stuff down here, nobody wants to eat communist chicken.
Wink.
Thanks, Russ,
Of course, bell peppers are the norm for this dish. I just happen to like the cubanelles because they have thin skin and are more digestible.
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